Alcohol - including beer, wine, and hard liquor are the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the country. Alcohol is the most widely tried drug among teenagers. Over 50 percent of 8th graders and 8 out of 10 12th graders report having tried alcohol. Many teenagers report binge drinking - in 1995, 30 percent of 12th graders surveyed reported binge drinking (5+ drinks in a sitting) in the previous 2 weeks. Even young teens report irresponsible use of alcohol - 25 percent of 8th graders have been drunk.
Alcohol use is widespread, although the per capita consumption has varied from decade to decade. While U.S. consumption of alcoholic beverages increased after World II, since 1981 it has declined slightly. But even with declines in alcohol use, two of three American adults drink alcoholic beverages. About half of all alcohol consumed in this country is ingested by heavy drinkers, estimated to be between 6.5 and 10 percent of the total population. The extent and frequency with which these individuals drink cause serious health and behavioral problems - disrupting their own lives and that of their family, friends, and employers - and also extracts a heavy societal toll.
Alcohol use is involved in:
- one-half of all murders, accidental deaths, and suicides,
- one-third of all drowning, boating and aviation deaths,
- one-half of all crimes, and
- almost half of all fatal automobile accidents.
The health problems associated with alcohol include:
- brain damage,
- cancer,
- heart disease, and
- cirrhosis of the liver.
Other types of addictive drugs